Portable electric lamp.



No. 64!,463. Patented Jan. l6, I900. H. J. MULLER.

PORTABLE ELECTRIC LAMP.

(Application filed Apr. 27, 1899.)

(No Model.)

I F I F" a! I w" mwmf/ln/ flWL- I 7 W 1 g ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

IIERMANN J. MULLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PORTABLE ELECTRIC LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,463, dated January16, 1900.

Application filed April 27, 1899. Serial No. 714,718, (No model.)

T0 61 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMANN J. MULLER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New York, in the borough of Manhattan and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPortable Electric Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved portable electric lamp which isintended for use in the nature of a candle for going from room to roomor from one floor to another of a house, the electric circuit of thelamp being automatically closed as soon as the lamp is lifted away fromits point of support and reopened when the lamp is replaced on itssupport, whereby the same is ready for instant use-whenever requiredwithout necessitating the turning of a switch by the user; and theinvention consists of a portable electric lamp comprising a lamp-body, asource of electricity located in said lamp-body, an incandescentelectriclamp, conductors extending from the source of electricity tosaid lamp, and a switch located in the base of the lamp-body andoperated automatically by the gravity of the lamp and body, and adaptedfor closing the circuit when lifting the lamp-body from its point ofsupport and opening the circuit when returning it to its positionthereon; and the invention consists, secondly, of a portable electriclamp comprising a lamp-body, a source of electricity located in saidlampbody, an incandescent electric lamp supported on the body, electricconductors between the source of electricity and the incandescentelectric lamp, an ordinary switch for opening or closing the circuit,and a switch automatically operated by the gravity of the lampbodylocated in the base of the same and adapted to close the circuit whenthe lamp is lifted from its support and open the circuit when thelamp-body is placed on the point of support.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofmy improved portable electric lamp shown as standing upon a support andwith the light extinguished. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lampheld in the hand and lighted. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section online 3 3, Fig.

1, showing in detail the parts within the bod y imitation of a candle,such as is commonly.

used in gas-fixtures, or any suitable support which is provided with asocket d for receiving the miniature electric lamp D, which is screwedinto the same, so as to form connection with the electricconducting-wires which pass from the battery through the figure E andsocket d. At the side of the lamp-body A is preferably arranged anordinary switch F, which when turned closes the circuit in which thelamp is located, so that the same is lighted. A second or auxiliaryswitch G is arranged in the base of the lamp, said switch being composedof a spring contact-plate g, provided with a pin g, that projectsthrough an opening in the base B sufficiently so that the pin andcontact-spring are automatically pressed inwardly when the lamp-body isplaced on any suitable point of support. By the inward movement of thepin and contact-plate the lamp-circuit is opened, so that no current canpass from the battery to the incandescent lamp D. As soon as the lamp islifted bodily from its support to be carried by the hand the pinprojects below the base by the action of the spring contact-plate, andthe latter forms contact with the contact-point g of the switch andcloses the circuit of the battery, so that the required current issupplied to the lamp.

When the lamp is replaced on the table, mantelpiece, or other point ofsupport, the pin and spring contact-plate are pressed inwardly again byreason of the gravity of the entire lamp, and the lamp-circuit therebyinterrupted and the lamp extinguished. In this manner the portableelectric lamp sup plies light as soon as it is lifted off its point ofsupport, so that it can be used like a candle, supplying light as soonas lifted, so that sufficient light is obtained by which to see ones wayin walking through the rooms or from floor to fioor by the light of thelamp. When the lamp is placed on a suitable support, the circuit isinterrupted and the lamp extinguished.

hen it is desired to have light while the lamp is standing on the tableor other support, the regular switch F can be turned on, as in theposition indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, so that light is obtained as longas required even while the lamp is standing. My improved portableelectric lamp serves, therefore, for a twofold purpose-namely, as anordinary lamp while supported on a table or other point of support byturning on theordinary switch or by using it as a candle or portablelamp in walking about by the automatic action of the auxiliary switch.

It is obvious that my improved portable electric lamp can be made up inany desired form, in plain or artistic style, provided, however, thatall the parts of the lamp are presentnamely, the source of electricity,incandescent electric la mp, conductors leading from the battery to thesame, an ordinaryswitch, and an auxiliary switch that is automaticallyoperated by the raising of the lamp from its point of support or byreplacing the lamp thereon.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent A portable electric lamp, consisting of a lamp-body, asource of electricity located in said lamp-body, an incandescentelectric lamp supported on the body, electric conductors connecting saidsource of electricity and incandescent lamp, and forming two independentelectric circuits between the same, a gravity-switch located in one ofsaid circuits, said switch being adapted to close the circuit when theportable electric lamp is lifted from its point of support, and open thecircuit when the lamp is set down, and a hand-operated switch located inthe other of said circuits and adapted to open or close the sameindependently of said gravity-switch, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in pres ence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMANN J. MULLER.

Witnesses:

J. II. NILES, M. H. WURTZEL.

